Happy Thanksgiving! (Especially to all my US friends!)

It's really weird.  The place that was so new is now getting to be second hand.  It's weird since this place is a place where people come and go according to their jobs and tours.  The time here is long enough, but it seems longer when I watch people who arrived here before me begin to leave, and we slowly become the 'experienced ones' who are to pass on what we've learned to newcomers.  People leaving after their tours are talking about Christmas and looking forward to spending it with family, etc..  The only indication of Christmas here is - well, obviously the Feast of Christ the King.  But aside from that - the weather got warm on us (24 degrees).  In the Post Exchanges they are selling artificial Christmas trees... like the 1 foot table types to the big floor models.  When I got here, I was rooting around and found a pack of unopened Christmas lights.  Maybe now is the time to put them up!  I somehow began to miss home alot when I saw some multicoloured Christmas lights and wreaths that some people had strung up to light up a wall as decoration.  Discussions the other day at lunch were about real Christmas trees and the wonderful smell they bring.  You could see how some of us were really missing home!  No Christmas tunes playing just as yet, but not to worry - there is a bunch ready to be loaded on to my iPod just for this occasion... and none of the 'Frosty the Snowman' and 'Rudolph' type tunes.  While they do have their place what I really mean is the GOOD stuff like 'Oh Holy Night', 'We Three Kings', 'The Friendly Beasts', etc.!  Since I don't have a Creche or Nativity scene ready to set up, I bought a small 'retablo' (for lack of a better term) that stands 2 inches high, made of wood and silver, of the Nativity.  I'm looking forward to placing that up in exchange for the small image of Our Lady and the Infant Jesus that currently sits at my workspace.     By the way - Happy Thanksgiving to my American Friends!  At Holy Mass today we had a bit of a bigger gathering than normal for our small group of people who attend Daily Mass.  Obviously, the occasion was Thanksgiving.  My normal seat was taken, so I had to sit behind all these people who just so happened to be all in the same row.  It was neat because, from my new vantage point I could see that they were dressed representative of all the different services of the US Armed Forces.  There was a Marine, a Soldier, an Airman, and a Sailor - all lined up in the row in front of me.  There was even a single civilian worker.  Though it was a small Mass gathering celebrated by a Canadian priest, it was kind of strange to have pretty much just one person from each service there at this Thanksgiving Mass.  It was pointed out by the priest that despite us being here in theatre - we have lots to be thankful to Our Lord for... and the priest was right!  So much to be thankful for and so many people, but only one from each service.  It struck me - especially when we heard the Gospel for the Thanksgiving Day.  The Gospel was of the 10 lepers who were healed... with only one who bothered to turn around to give thanks to Our Lord.    A special 'shout-out' to Maria and her 'little sister' Ma. Angela!  Thanks for writing!  I didn't realize that people from BC would know about this site!  OK Ma. Angela - at the request of your sister Maria, I will keep you (and your sister) in my prayers too!  (So - what squadron are you in?  So what's your College number?  ;)  Haha!  Just kidding!).  Thank you both for your prayers!   Well, Happy Thanksgiving once again!